The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-07-15
- -
Gold Leaf.
now, WHERE, AND BY WHOM IT is MANU-
FACTURED.

now, WHERE, AND BY WHOM 1T Is MANU-
RACTURED.
Gold leaf is manufactured in about
twenty shops in New York and its
suburbs, says the New York Ecening
Sun. 1t is estimated that 20,S0O
ounces of gold are consumed annually
here in making gold leaf Gold can be
beaten 80 thin that it will take 10000
leaves 10 equal the thickness Of the
sheet upon which this paper is printed.
An ounce can be beaten down TO $500
leaves 80 inches square.
At a establishment in Hudson street
a reporter was told that the gold is
bought Of Of brokers in small ingots,
which are melted into bars about
quarter Of an inch thick. These are
rolled into n ribbon az thick az note
paper After passing through the
hands Of the beaters it is put in books
interleaved with manila tissue. and
twenty books are put in a package.
The ordinary sells for 81 a package,
and the best $3.50 TO 1915. No dross
comes from the gold as it Is beaten,
but there are ragged edges which drop
off. The leaf is used by glider, book
binders, dentists, and sign painters.
The wages of gold-beaters are Sl1
week. A piece hand gets S5 beat
ing. A good one can possibly do two
week and as many as nine in
month have been done. Extra is paid
if the workman beats the gold below
five grains to book Some can do
four and half, and even four, grains
per book"
"How thin can you get it," a beater
in Broome street was asked.
sit is beaten to one three-hundred
thousandth of an inch at five grains to
the book. II it gets down to four
grains it is one three-hundred- and
sixty -thousandths Of an inch. The
New York system employs men only,
with girls TO do the cutting. The Ger
man system employs children Of TO 0,
which system Hastings, of Philadel.
phla, tried to introduce here, but his
workmen struck, gnd he lost his lead.
On that system men do the bsating
and girls do the priming aud filing"
GLOW is the gold beateu!"
at is beaten in molds made in Lon
don from the intestines of cows, clean
ed and vanished with secre, prepara-
ton manufactured by Puckridge &
Nephew, of London. The skins are
put in packages of 900 skins each, and
three of these molds 90 to a beating.'
"How much gold is there in beat
ing7"
"Fifty pennyweight in a beating.
The ribbon of solid gold is divided in
to 10 or 180 pieces, each about an
inch square. These are put into
cutch made of French paper foul
inches square. This is beaten until we
get the gold to the edges. 1t is hand.
ed with pincers at that time. 1t is
beaten half an hour. The pieces are
then piled twenty on top of each
other TEen they are cut in four and
doubled over, making 720. They are
then put in 'schoder,' or finer mold
cut down. We fiji the schoder with
these leaves in the middle, and break
it out to the edges. We beat it about
two hours, until we draw about Tel,
pennyweights off the schroeder
"Does it have to be kept dry,"
"We have to keep the windows shut;
but the clutches, schoders, and molds
take up so much moisture that they
have to be put in a hot mold to press
the moisture out.
"Don't that finish it"
"Oh, no. The leaves are cut away
again into four with tool called a
wagon, making $3.50, but the molds
hold only 2,700. The molds are beat
en- four hours, at the end of each hour
there being what is called close,
when they are heated. Then the beat
er is through with it and the cutter
takes it. This is the only work done
by girls in New York. They can cut
from thirty to sixty four books day,
at 81 cents a books. The leaf. when
it gets into book, is SO thin that it is
handled only with the BREATH
"IIow Is the work tested7"
"Only with the eye. There is no
rule about thebusiness, but it is surely
matter of skill and judgment. The
best is the kind used on glass, which
shows all imperfectons.'
81 notice that gold beaters usually
work in Easements. Why is that 2
"a firmer blow can be g oI:o' o,:, one
y tne Ut. l'.l nrsli Rfating comr- Even. If on
Branchdal" -; cuere is a jar, which
T.ge TG.ge.enorates the quality"
SIS there any adulteration in the
business?"
"The Germans beat what is called a
metal leaf with an alloy. 1t is sold
very cheap. 1t is the oleomargarine OF
gold leaf and will tarnisb. Much OF it
is used by bookbinders."
"When did the trade start T
sit is very ancient. 1t is mentioned
in the Bible. Gold was used on Solo
mons temple. The Chinese beat gold
leaf, but it cannot compare in quality
with American leaf. Some OF the
Cinnamon had trouble with their en-
ployer, but they soon ended it. They
got their employer into their lodge
room and then one after another took
| a bite out of his flesh"